Hotel Carlton building, Heritage hotel in Plaza Moyúa, Bilbao, Spain
The Hotel Carlton is a triangular building at Plaza Moyúa featuring a central hall lit by a leaded glass dome. The structure spans multiple floors and combines classical architecture with functional interior spaces.
The architect Manuel María Smith designed the building in 1919, and it opened in 1926. During the Spanish Civil War, it served as the seat of the Basque regional government.
The Luis García Campos room displays the original presidential table and retains a stained glass window that survived through the decades. This space shows how important gatherings and decisions took place within these walls.
The building sits in the city center and is easily reached on foot, close to the Guggenheim Museum and other major sites. Access is well designed with multiple entrances and ways to explore the interior.
The building hides an underground bunker system beneath its main entrance that once provided shelter during times of conflict. This hidden network demonstrates how structures had to serve multiple purposes during that era.
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